


Beyond Every Doorway is a Story

by lionessvalenti



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Background Relationships, Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Implied Selfcest, Loneliness, Loss, M/M, Other, Portals, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Sex Positive, Tentacles, Threesome - F/M/M, all the sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:00:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28705554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: Bucky is the keeper of a portal that Captain Americas use to move through worlds. They all pass through. They never stay.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tentacle Creature(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34
Collections: Exchanges After Dark Birthday Bash 2021





	Beyond Every Doorway is a Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seinmit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seinmit/gifts).



"It's not all fun and games, you know," Bucky said as he poured himself another glass of sun tea. He held up the pitcher in a refill offer, peering through the open front door, but Sam shook his head. Bucky went back outside with only his glass in hand.

"It sure sounds like a load of bullshit." Sam fiddled with the metal straw in his glass. Despite his refusal, it was mostly ice. "But you're saying, if I wanted to travel to another universe..."

Bucky walked through the house and sat down in the rocking chair opposite Sam. It was nice out here on the front porch of his little Wakandan home. Even in the dead heat of summer, there was a nice breeze. "You're Captain America. You'd have to use the portal."

"I don't get it. How is a person a portal? Do they have the same portal system on their side? And Captain America is a _title_. It's not like it's some sort of DNA test. What happens when you die?" Sam sighed. "Is that too many questions?"

"No. And I don't have all the answers. I don't really talk to them that much, it's all about getting them where they're going. I don't know what'll happen when I die. I'll be dead." Bucky took a drink of his tea and set the glass down on the floor to his right. "Someone else will step up, I guess. This is kind of a title, too. But you're not traveling to another universe anytime soon. It doesn't really matter, does it?"

Sam pursed his lips and sighed. "That's not a really satisfying conclusion, you know."

"I know. I just wanted to give you a head's up, if it becomes relevant. And if some other Captain America shows up, they're probably here to help."

"Probably?"

Bucky shrugged. "They aren't all Steve. You should know that better than anyone."

Sam's eyes widened slightly. "But some of them are. Most of them, right?"

"Most, yeah."

"And you're fucking all of them."

Bucky tilted his head back with a laugh. "It's the burden I bear."

* * *

"Look, Bucky, I don't mean any offense, I know this is your position, but I'm straight. So I don't know how we're going to do this." Despite the clear, concise delivery, Steve looked awkward. He couldn't seem to find a place to settle his hands, shifting them from behind his back to on his hips, and then awkwardly holding his left wrist in his right hand.

"You're not the first Cap to tell me this," Bucky replied with an easy smile. "Do you want a beer?"

Steve blinked. "It's not going to help. I can't get drunk. It won't even help me relax."

"I know, but everything's easier over a beer. Come on, sit down." Bucky motioned for Steve to follow him into the kitchen. He rustled around in the fridge and pulled out a couple dark glass bottles. He popped open the lids with the bottle opener he'd attached to the side of his counter. "Here."

Steve sat on one of the bar stools Bucky had lined up behind the kitchen island and took the bottle. "Thanks."

Bucky didn't sit. He leaned against the counter and studied Steve. He was post-war, but still fresh in the 21st century. There was a baby face quality about him that was charming. "Steve, the thing to keep in mind about opening the portal is that it's not about the sex. It's the means to generate the energy, that's all. It doesn't say anything about you or me."

Steve swallowed and set down the bottle. "I know. I'm not having a sexual crisis, I'm concerned about the... logistics. I know what needs to be done, but I'm not sure if I can physically do it."

Bucky couldn't stop himself: he laughed. "You're worried about getting it up."

Thankfully, Steve laughed too. "Well, yeah. I have a type, pal, and it's not... anything here. No offense."

"None taken. Like I said, you're not the first straight Cap to come through here. This is what we're going to do: you're going to drink your beer, we're going to talk about something relaxing, and we'll go for efficiency. No kissing. We won't even get undressed."

The kitchen wasn't a place Bucky had a lot of sex. He preferred the bed, or maybe the shower, but there was a blandness to both of them standing up, leaning against the cutlery drawer within arm's reach of a bread loaf and a wooden cutting board. It was decidedly less intimate, even when Bucky reached down to unzipped Steve's pants.

"Would you prefer if I used this one?" Bucky held up his left hand. "Sometimes people feel like it's a bit of a barrier."

Steve blinked. "Oh, uh, it doesn't matter, I guess. Whatever you're more comfortable with."

"Okay. Take a breath. Think about something you find... not even attractive. Something dirty. Maybe something you're a little ashamed to think about. Girlie magazine you looked at as a kid when you knew you shouldn't. Or a sex act you think is hot, but won't bring up to anyone."

"Why?"

"Emotions are complicated. You're probably going to get more of a reaction if you think about something you've told yourself you shouldn't than trying to force it thinking about something conventional." Bucky slipped his hand into Steve's pants. There wasn't a lot of room, but he bypassed Steve's cock to fondle his balls instead. "And I've met a lot of versions of you. You've all got kinks."

Steve flushed. "I, uh, do I need to tell you, or—?"

Bucky shook his head. "Not if you don't want to."

Steve shuddered as Bucky tilted his hand up to grasp Steve's dick. "You're good at this."

"Yeah, I know." With his other hand, Bucky grasped Steve around the wrist and gently pressed his hand into the folds on his robe. He never wore anything under them. "It has to go both ways, you know."

Steve nodded and took hold of Bucky's dick. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath. "I can, um—"

"Just like doing it to yourself," Bucky said quickly. 

It didn't take long. Both of them breathing heavily, the shimmering portal appeared behind Steve.

"Thanks for the... lift?" Steve chuckled as he zipped up his pants. "I don't know what to—"

Bucky clapped a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Don't worry about it."

Steve nodded. He moved toward the portal, then paused. "Do you think, and I know this is a weird time to ask, but maybe the Bucky in my universe is still alive?"

"I don't know. Some are, some aren't. But if he is, I think he'd like it if you found him."

"Will do."

* * *

Some days in this line of work were weirder than others.

"Oh. Huh." Bucky stared at the Captain America in front of him. "All right."

"You don't get this a lot?" The other Bucky asked.

Cap, Bucky decided quickly. Even calling him by his last name would be too weird, as much as he tried to mask his uneasiness. 

Cap was quite literally like staring into an alternate universe mirror. His hair was short, he was clean shaven, and he still bore the silver metal arm that had been equipped by HYDRA. He had more bulk than Bucky did, though there had been a time when Bucky's body had looked like that. He'd gotten leaner since arriving in Wakanda, more wiry than heavy. Is this what his body had looked like? It looked good.

"You're the first," Bucky replied. He tilted his head to the side to get a look at the profile. "Wow."

"Okay, good. I wasn't sure if I had hoped that you'd done this a bunch or if it was your first time. First time, it makes me feel less nervous." Cap reached out and gently touched Bucky's chin. "I like the beard. Maybe I should grow one."

Bucky grinned. "And here I was thinking maybe I should shave."

Cap mirrored Bucky's grin perfectly. "You know, I'd heard about this stopover, and I'm glad it's you. I'm married. This feels less like sleeping with someone else, because it's not. And he understands for situations like this, but I don't want to, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it." Bucky was still caught on the word _married_. There was a time when he might have imagined himself married, but now it seemed like a strange, far away dream. "What's your husband's name?"

"Sam. I don't know if you know Sam—"

"Wilson?" Bucky actually took a step back. "You're married to Sam Wilson?"

Cap nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm taking that to mean you aren't a thing here."

Bucky didn't mean to laugh in Cap's face, but that was exactly what he did. "Whatever the opposite of a thing is, we're that. Don't get me wrong, Sam's a great guy, we're friends, but no. He's Captain America in this universe and we are mutually dreading the day he needs a portal."

"I mean, I'm biased, but, it's probably going to be a great day."

"Yeah, no. You know what? Shut up. Let's fuck so you can go home to your husband." Bucky was joking, but at the same time, also not joking.

The bright side of talking to yourself from another universe was that he got it. Cap laughed and grabbed Bucky by the arm. "Let's fuck, then."

* * *

"Captain America?" Bucky tried not to sound surprised, but Peggy Carter wasn't American.

She smiled, catching his meaning. She wore the same shade of red lipstick that Bucky remembered along with her red and blue armor. "For all intents and purposes. It's good to see you, Sergeant Barnes."

"Oh, no, I'm just Bucky here." He was about to make a comment about his non-regular shoulder length hair, when his heart skipped a beat. Peggy hadn't come through alone.

Steve stepped up next to Peggy. He was small and slender, his head coming up only about to Peggy's shoulder, wearing armor of his own, but it was lightweight tactical gear, all in black. "Heya, Buck."

Bucky's jaw dropped. He'd seen a lot of things in this line of work, most of them being different versions of Steve, but this one felt strangely personal and he couldn't even pinpoint why. "Hi."

"You all right?" Steve shot him a crooked grin.

"Yeah, yeah. I haven't seen you like that in a long time. Not since my time." Bucky tried to compose himself. He was the keeper of the portal. He couldn't be shocked by things, no matter what came through. "You two need passage, then?"

Peggy set down her shield and began to take off her clothes. "We do, and I'm sorry, but we're in a bit of a rush."

"No apologies necessary, everyone always is." Bucky pulled at the sash on his waist. He liked the easy removal of robes, especially when most of his partners were wearing much more complicated clothing.

Steve tucked a finger into the collar of his shirt. His shit-eating grin was gone and his cheeks were flushed, watching both Bucky and Peggy undressing. "Do I need to...? Or is this a Captain only transaction?"

"You don't have to," Bucky said. Then, in an attempt to not sound too hopeful, added, "But if you wanted to, it wouldn't hurt anything."

Steve shot Peggy a look. She had taken off her own shirt and was now crouched down to unlace her boots, wearing only her trousers and brassiere. She glanced up at him and smiled.

"It's up to you, darling." 

"I love you," Steve replied. He winked at Bucky and started undressing. "If you don't mind."

"The more the merrier," Bucky replied, tossing the last of his clothes onto a nearby chair. He sat down on the edge of the bed and idly touched himself as Steve and Peggy continued to peel off layers.

He had probably fucked a hundred versions of Steve Rogers, and he wasn't sure why this one was getting to him. Maybe it was because he didn't have to, and they were choosing to do it anyway. Maybe it was the slight version of Steve that Bucky had carefully never touched in any way that might be _gay_.

But he had to focus. This time, Steve wasn't the one he needed to worry about. As Steve said, this was a Captain transaction, and he wasn't the Captain.

Completely naked, Peggy stepped up to Bucky. She touched his left shoulder at the seam of flesh and vibranium. "What happened here?"

"Nothing of consequence," Bucky said. It was too much to try to explain to anyone whose Bucky didn't have a similar experience, and with Peggy and Steve together here, they might not even have a Bucky anymore. 

He rested his hands on her hips and tipped forward to press a kiss to her bare stomach. Her skin was soft, but he could feel the firmness of the super soldier muscles. He hadn't needed to warm himself up. No matter what form, his type was always Captain America. It was what made him perfect for the job.

Peggy's back arched and she exhaled a soft gasp. "Touch me, will you?"

Bucky nodded. His flesh hand slipped from her hip to between her thighs. Her fingers deftly found her clit, and her body shuddered when he brushed against it. She rolled her hips forward. "That feels—ohhhh."

Steve had come up behind her and wrapped an arm around her body. His hand was on her breast, her nipple pinched between his finger and thumb. He grinned, eyes alight with mischief, when he caught Bucky looking at him.

Bucky grinned back at him. They didn't have to speak to know that the goal here was to make Peggy come first.

Peggy's grip tightened on Bucky's shoulder as Steve, who was up on his tip-toes, kissed the side of her neck. She leaned back against him and moaned. Her eyes opened and she peered down at Bucky. Breathlessly, she asked, "This isn't going to open the portal, is it?"

He shook his head. "No. You and I have to come at the same time for the portal to open. Anything else is a bonus."

"Good. Put your fingers inside me."

"Yes, ma'am," Bucky mumbled as he shifted the angle of his hand so he could push his first two fingers into her, while still massaging her clit with his thumb. She was wet and tight around him, and he had barely breached her when, knees shaking, she came.

Peggy threw her head back, swearing loudly, her grip bruise-hard on Bucky's shoulder. She slumped forward and Bucky pulled his fingers out of her so he could carefully help her down onto the bed next to him.

"Way better than the last portal you went through, right?" Bucky asked. He didn't travel through worlds, but he knew each portal involved some sort of ritual to open. He had been told several times that his was one of the more fun challenges.

She laughed, throwing an arm over her eyes as she relaxed. "Considerably better."

"We had to solve riddles," Steve said.

Bucky turned away from Peggy, having for a moment, forgotten about Steve, except he hadn't because his mind was always on Steve. He sucked in a quiet gasp as he settled his gaze on Steve's naked body.

Somehow, Bucky had forgotten exactly how small Steve was, his stomach concaving slightly around his ribs and his hip bones jutting out. He was practically hairless except for some blond fuzz around his genitals. He was fully erect, his cock considerably smaller than the average that Bucky saw, but he had a feeling super soldier serum played a part for those other guys.

"You're gorgeous," Bucky said before he could stop himself. He reached forward and grabbed Steve around the waist to pull him closer.

Steve stumbled forward, falling into Bucky's arms. He laughed and cupped Bucky's face in his hands. "It's so good to see you. In our world, you're..."

"I know." Bucky tilted his face up and caught Steve's mouth with his own. He didn't need to hear about how his counterpart was dead, a prisoner of HYDRA, or worse, a willing agent. So many of them had met some sort of tragic end.

Steve slid his hands up into Bucky's hair, twining his fingers between the locks. He breathed heavy into Bucky's mouth as he pulled back only far enough to speak. "What do we—what should we do? I've never, not with a guy. Not with you."

Bucky wanted to tell him they could do whatever they wanted, but what came out instead was, "I want to suck your dick."

Steve's already flushed cheeks turned bright scarlet, and he laughed. "Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah."

"Good." Bucky grabbed Steve around the waist and manhandled him down onto the bed. Just as he thought that he maybe should have asked first, Steve uttered a breathy moan. Bucky grinned. Steve was with a superhero. He was probably used to being tossed around a little.

Bucky kissed his way down Steve's torso. He shouldn't be doing this. Peggy was Cap. He should be focusing on her. However, when he glanced up, Peggy was hardly being passive. She had one hand on Steve's chest and was leaving faint red lipstick marks down the side of his neck. She was fine. She was involved, and that was the most important part.

Bucky wrapped his lips around Steve's cock and sucked it into his mouth. It wasn't small, it was a perfect fit. He could get the entire thing in without choking, and maybe he didn't feel completely full, he liked not suffocating on it. He could move around, really work his tongue around it. There was something about having space.

Steve tangled his fingers in Bucky's hair again. "God, Buck. I always wanted—I was too scared."

Bucky understood completely. He reached up and smoothed his hand over Steve's ribs. A hand squeezed his own, and when he looked up, it wasn't Steve, but Peggy. She smiled down at him and winked.

"Shit. _Shit_." Steve threw a leg over Bucky's shoulder and rolled his hips. "Oh fuck, Bucky, if I come now, I'm done for hours."

It didn't matter in terms of the magic, and Bucky wanted to taste him. He bore down and massaged his tongue along the underside of Steve's cock. Above him, Steve moaned so obscenely that it nearly made Bucky come completely untouched.

"Gorgeous," Peggy murmured, brushing the hair away from Steve's forehead.

Steve's entire body tensed as he came. Bucky moaned, swallowing as fast as he could. He lifted his head and wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his head.

"Not so scary, huh?" Bucky asked.

Steve sat up on his elbows. "You jerk."

Bucky cracked up and rested his chin on Steve's hip. From that angle, he could look at both Steve and Peggy. He was very aware that he was the only one who hadn't orgasmed yet. They were gorgeous and he had the best job in the world.

Peggy reached down and touched his cheek. "I suppose we should..."

"We should," Bucky replied. He sat up and crawled over Steve to get to her and kissed her on the neck. "Don't think I forgot about you. How do you want to do this?"

"Like this," Peggy replied, and Bucky was flipped onto his back before he even knew it. She kissed him fiercely on the mouth. "Don't think I hadn't noticed that everyone has come except you." She straddled him and without a second's preamble, sank onto his cock.

Bucky gasped. He'd never really thought about having sex with the version of Peggy he'd known. She was Steve's girl and that was the end of that. If he had known exactly how good she would have looked riding him, he might have considered it before this moment. Maybe it was the Cap-effect, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She leaned down, holding her weight up with one arm as she loomed over him. "I almost wish this wouldn't work. I think we could have more fun."

"That's what you all say," Bucky replied, grinning. He lifted his head as far as he could to kiss her again. He could already feel his orgasm building, and he could only hope she was as close. The _coming at the same time_ thing had a grace period, but they still had to be in tune.

Peggy moaned, riding him harder, the sound of skin against skin filling the room.

"Fuck me," Steve muttered, somewhere near Bucky's ear.

That was what reminded Bucky of Steve's contribution to Peggy's orgasm earlier. He reached up and cupped her breast in his hand, rolling his palm against her nipple.

She whined and threw her head back as she came, clenching around Bucky and sending him over the edge after her. She fell down atop him, his cock still buried inside of her, their breath melding together into one.

The portal opened up next to the bed in a shimmering disc of light. Peggy was still panting as she rolled off of Bucky and looked over at it. "How long will it stay open?"

"Maybe an hour?" Bucky curled himself between her and Steve. Steve's arm draped lazily over Bucky's waist like it was meant to be there. "The stronger the connection, the longer it stays open. So, not long enough for another round, but enough for you to get dressed without running around. You can take a shower if you want."

"Oh, I'd love a shower," Peggy said. She kissed Bucky on the cheek and gave Steve some sort of meaningful look before retreating to the bathroom. Bucky couldn't help but watch the sway of her hips and bare backside until the door closed behind her.

Steve pinched Bucky above the hip. "That's my wife, you know."

Bucky laughed as he turned onto his back so he could look up at Steve. "I know. You're a lucky guy."

"I am." Steve studied Bucky for a long moment. "You have someone here?"

"Nah. I don't have a lot of time, not for a partner, and not to get lonely. I have a whole multiverse of Captain Americas crossing my door."

"And none of them stay."

Bucky rubbed his hand over his beard, feeling how the bristles scratched at his palm. It was annoying how well some of these Steves could see right through him. "What about you? You're crossing universes, seeing all these other versions of yourself who are Captain America. It could have been you. Most of the time it was, but not you. It'd be easy to be resentful."

Steve shook his head. "I have—almost—everything I want. How many of those guys went down in the Valkyrie? How many of them lost everything? When I joined the Army, I was sure it would kill me and I was ready for it. Instead, it's 1949 and I have my life, a job I love, and a gorgeous superhero wife. What do I need to be Captain America for?"

It was exactly that attitude that led to Steve being such a good Captain America, but Bucky didn't say that. He cupped Steve's face with his metal hand. "God, it's so good to see you."

Steve kissed him. It was soft and slow and exactly how Bucky liked to be kissed. "It's good to see you, too."

* * *

Bucky had never seen the woman before. She was tiny, under five and a half feet tall, with dark skin and her hair twisted into braids. She carried the shield like it was part of her. He had no question about whether or not she was Captain America.

"This is the fucking portal, right?" she asked as a greeting. "I gotta fuck to pass?"

"It is, yeah." Bucky paused, and then added, "Sorry."

"It's fine." She set the shield down and unbuttoned her pants. "I know you probably don't see a lot of women, but you eat pussy, right?"

Bucky grinned. He didn't even know her name, but she was so direct. He had a pretty good sense of people and while he knew she wasn't intending to stay long, he already wanted her to throw him down and fuck him. Maybe smack him around a little before they got started.

"I can eat pussy," Bucky said, "but this has to be a mutual thing. We both have to give a little."

She raised her eyebrows. "What did you have in mind?"

Bucky didn't have a lot of hang-ups about sex or desire. He got over any shame a long time ago. "Do you want to spank me? Because I want you to do whatever you want to me. But rough. As hard as you can give it."

She blinked at him for a couple of seconds. "This is not what I was expecting when I was told I'd have to fuck a white man to get to my destination."

"Is that a yes?" Bucky asked. He sounded too hopeful. He was a shade away from begging.

"Yeah, fine. Sure. But let's do it quick, I got places to be." She took off her red and blue leather jacket. "Strip."

Bucky did as he was told, turning away from her for some reason so he could take off his clothes. He glanced over his shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Is it important?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I guess not."

"Then get on your knees."

"Yes, Cap."

* * *

Bucky groaned. He was flat on his back, his feet practically over his head, staring upside down at the wall opposite the bed. He fucked for a living, and yet, he was sure he had never been so full. His hole was completely stretched open, and somehow he was still being pushed further, the tentacle burrowing deeper into him. He panted, trying to make sure he continued to breathe through being ripped in two.

It should have hurt. It was painful, but it wasn't bad. In fact, Bucky's cock strained, hard and leaking, bobbing as the thick tentacle fucked him. He felt like he had been on the verge of coming for an hour, but every single part of him was too tense and full to actually reach orgasm.

Another tentacle wrapped around Bucky's ankle and spread his legs wider. He couldn't move, not even to lift his head and look at the giant octopus creature. It didn't speak, but there was only one reason anything would come through the portals: it was Captain America, looking for passage.

"Bucky? Are you here?"

It was Steve. He recognized the voice, but there was no way of knowing what Steve it was, where he was from, or if he'd ever been here before. Not that it would make this any less awkward if he had. It was always awkward when there were multiple Caps at a time coming through, even when they were all human.

The bedroom door opened and there was Steve, staring. Bucky tried to parse what this must look like from an outsider's perspective.

"You're busy," Steve said.

"I'll get you in a minute," Bucky managed. He reached around blindly for Cap's head, but only got a handful of another tentacle. It wrapped around his wrist, holding onto him.The suckers pulled at his skin. He could feel the bruises forming beneath them.

"I... can I help?" Steve asked. He sounded stressed.

Bucky laughed, not unaware that he sounded a bit hysterical. "No, you—you—you—not your portal. Wait outside."

"Right. Yes. Sorry." The door closed and Steve disappeared.

Bucky tried to focus himself on the Cap in front of him. His portal would only come if they were both focused on the sex. He lifted his hand, bringing the wrist wrapped in the tentacle to his mouth and licked the cool, salty wet skin. 

The tentacle inside of him twisted and Bucky howled. He shook as his orgasm overtook him completely, forcing the come out of him.

Cap disengaged from him as the portal appeared besides the bed. Without any cuddling or fanfare, he scuttled into the portal and disappeared.

Bucky took a few deep breaths. If Steve wasn't in the other room, he would have stayed in bed for the rest of the day, but he had to keep his priorities. He rolled over onto his stomach and literally crawled out of bed to get his robe.

Legs shaking, Bucky stumbled out into the main room of the house. "Hey."

"Hi." Steve was in the kitchen. "You want some tea? I'm heating up water."

"Oh. Yeah, thanks." Bucky leaned against the kitchen island. He thought about sitting down on the barstool, but he wasn't sure how wrecked his backside was. "If you're in a hurry, we can—"

"I'm not in a rush," Steve said. "That was, uh... it looked intense."

Bucky scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, it was. He didn't talk, so I could only really assume he was Captain America wherever he came from. It worked, so that's all that matters, really. Thank you."

Steve pushed the steaming mug across the counter. "You're welcome."

Bucky fiddled with the string on the teabag. "Have, uh... this is always awkward to ask, but have you been through here before? I see a lot of versions of Steve Rogers, but you seem pretty comfortable here."

"Yeah, I have. It was a few years ago for me, I don't know how long ago it was for you." Steve jostled his own mug between his hands. You were... very kind when I was nervous. I didn't admit this at the time, but I was, I had been, a virgin. I'd thought about it a lot afterwards and it informed a lot of things going forward."

"So, you have a nice boyfriend now?" Bucky asked.

Steve chuckled. "I do, yeah." He flashed a coy expression, and while it didn't happen too often, Bucky read it loud and clear.

"You're dating your version of me," Bucky said with a grin.

"I am. I told him all about this portal system and I think he might have been more excited about me coming through here again than I was. I don't know why, but he was." Steve smiled to himself, the fondness for his Bucky shining through. "But maybe that makes me want to make sure you're okay even more."

Bucky sipped at his tea. It was still a little too hot, but he managed not to burn his tongue completely. "I'm fine."

Steve narrowed his eyes and set his mug down on the counter. "You have sat down yet and I saw how thick those tentacles were. You're still a person with physical limits."

Bucky exhaled a laugh. "Yeah, well, I have one of those inflatable donuts around here, you know the things you can sit on and not put pressure on your asshole? It's useful in situations like these, but it's not sexy."

"Buck, you don't have to be sexy."

He said it so calmly and straightforwardly, in a way only Steve Rogers could, that Bucky believed him without a second thought. And that was how Bucky ended up sitting on his hot pink inflatable donut on his couch, watching reruns of The Office with Steve.

"Do you have a version of me here?" Steve asked as one episode ended.

Bucky shook his head. "Nah, he's gone. He moved on. Sam's Captain America here now. It's working out really great. He's taken to it like a duck to water. Falcon to air? Is that better?"

Steve laughed, but he turned somber, touching Bucky's arm. "Do you have anyone to take care of you?"

"No, but I'm fine. Really, post-octopus fucking notwithstanding." Bucky snickered, but Steve didn't laugh with him. "You know, I have this job, and I get to fuck so many cool, hot Captain Americas. It's great."

"Until they leave," Steve said.

"You guys always bring this up, and it's not that bad. It's not even like Steve and I were together or anything. It was never like that. He didn't even take the portal when he left. And that was okay." It wasn't okay, and he was pretty sure Steve knew that. 

Bucky knew that Steve from his timeline loved him in a brotherly way. He would have done anything, proving it a hundred times over, to save Bucky. He was always so fiercely loyal. But there was a part of Steve who was reserved when it came to portal business. He didn't care for the other versions of himself, and was uncomfortable at the notion of Bucky sleeping with those other versions. He understood that no one else could do the job, but he kept a distance from it. He had to have been so relieved that when he wanted out, there was technology for it instead.

"I'm sorry." Steve leaned over and kissed Bucky's temple. "You know, I'd take you with me if I could."

"And what would you do with two versions of me?" Bucky asked, unable to hold back a smile.

"I wouldn't get bored, that's for sure."

Bucky took Steve's chin in his hand and kissed him softly. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"So I've been told before." Steve squeezed Bucky's thigh. "Is it allowed for me to stay a couple of days? If we don't have sex, I mean. Is that something we can do?"

"If you want," Bucky replied, brow furrowing. "I can't promise other Caps won't come through. You guys don't really have a schedule. But there's no rules that say you can't hang out if you want to. It's just that most people usually can't."

"My mission is done. I'm going home. I have all the time in the world." He wrapped his arm around Bucky's shoulders. "I know you're okay, but it would make me feel better if I knew you were okay."

"You know, Steve, it's not going to change anything. You'll still leave and I'll still be here by myself until the next Cap shows up." Bucky didn't want to tell him that it might make it worse. Every version of Steve that was sweet to him was a patch on a void.

"I know. And I know this is more for me than for you, but... I want to."

Bucky smiled. Steve was so predictably and pleasantly earnest. He couldn't help but think how lucky that other version of himself was. "I'd like that."

Steve grinned. "Good."

Bucky let his head rest on Steve's shoulder and turned his attention back to the TV. It was a patch, but he would take it until the next day.

* * *

Bucky settled down on the couch with a steaming bowl of cauliflower curry and rice. He was about to start scrolling through Netflix instead of actually watching anything when there was a knock at the door. He looked over at it with surprise. Caps didn't knock, but usually no one else stopped by.

"Come in," he called. He never locked his door. He lived in the middle of nowhere and he could punch very hard. Getting robbed wasn't exactly a concern.

The door opened, and to Bucky's surprise, this Cap knocked. It was Sam, decked out in his full uniform. He looked a little worse for the wear, probably coming out of a battle somewhere.

"Hey, man," Sam said, as he walked into the house.

"Hey. You all right?"

"I'm fine." Sam leaned the shield up against the wall and then sank down next to Bucky on the couch. "Busy day. You?"

Bucky shook his head. "It's been quiet. I had time to cook. You want some? I made plenty." He held out his bowl, happy to hand it off to Sam and get another one for himself.

"No, thanks. I, uh... oh, I don't want to—I'm not sure how..." Sam's gaze was set firmly on the floor as he stammered and rubbed his left forearm with his other hand. "I need—"

Bucky's gut turned over. His dinner no longer seemed as appetizing anymore, so he set the bowl onto the coffee table. "You need a portal."

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important," Sam said quickly.

"It's always important," Bucky replied. "No one knows how important the work is more than me. Why do you think I do this? I'm not obligated. I could close it off any time I wanted and no Caps would be getting in or out. I could live my life. I could travel, or something. Settle down, get married, have a family. But I don't. It's the thing I think you guys, all of you, you struggle to understand: I do this because I believe in the work Captain America does across the board. Your work included."

Sam lifted his head and managed to look Bucky in the eye. "Good speech."

"I learned from the best." Bucky nudged Sam with his elbow. It was a casual contact to hopefully put him at ease. "I'm not saying it won't be awkward, and you and I are going to know things about each other that we may have not wanted to know, but it's only sex. It's a means to an end, and that end is usually saving the world."

"I guess we knew this day was going to come one way or another," Sam said. "Do we just... get it over with?

"You don't want to be romanced?"

Sam laughed and for the first time, it seemed like he was relaxing. "No, I'm good. I need to get a move on, but I don't want to... fuck and run?"

Bucky couldn't help it, he laughed too. "Everyone does. I don't take it personally."

"Yeah, but they're not your friend."

"Buy me dinner when you get back."

"Deal." Sam grinned. "So, how do we do this?"

Bucky reached up and pulled his hair out of its bun and tossed the elastic onto the coffee table next to his cooling curry. He peeled off his t-shirt and slid onto the floor in front of Sam. "I'm going to suck you off."

"You sound like a guy who's thought about this." Sam was teasing him, but he didn't protest. He unfastened the front of his pants, lifting his hips off the couch so he could pull them down a little and pull himself out easily.

"Don't flatter yourself, Wilson. I knew this was going to happen someday and, yes, I thought about the best way for both of us to get through it." Bucky positioned himself between Sam's legs and waited until Sam had retrieved his own cock and shifted into a comfortable position. "I'm going to need you to touch me. My hair, my shoulders, the back of my neck. This isn't something I do to you, we do it together."

Sam nodded. He reached out his right hand to tentatively touch Bucky's shoulder. He ran his finger down the scarring along the vibranium. "That hurt?"

"Not anymore. Hurts less, actually, since I can't feel half of it." Bucky grasped Sam's cock in his hand. It was still limp, but that made the skin feel all the more velvety and soft. His mouth began to water for it. All it took was a star on the chest and suddenly Bucky wanted it so badly. "Ready?"

"You're the sexpert," Sam said, cupping his hand around the back of Bucky's neck. "I'll follow your lead."

Bucky flashed him a wink, then took Sam's dick in his mouth.


End file.
